The First World War was unique in history. In this context, answer the following:

(a) Any three causes that led to the war.

(b) The extent and methods used in this war.

(c) Economic consequences of this war.

(a) Three causes that led to the war were as follows-

1. Race for Armaments — Germany had acquired colonies in Africa and a few islands in the Pacific. In order to protect her colonies Germany began to build a powerful navy. The Germans dug the Kiel Canal deeper so that battle ships could find shelter in its waters. There was an arms race and the peculiar feature of such a race is that if one country increases its armaments, other countries are compelled to do the same. Such a race for armaments could end only in a war.
2. Division of Europe into two armed camps — In 1879, Germany and Austria-Hungary had signed a Treaty to help each other in case of enemy attack. Three years later Italy joined the Pact, which came to be known as the Triple Alliance. As opposed to the Triple Alliance emerged the Triple Entente comprising Britain, France and Russia in 1907 to control German expansionism. Thus, Europe was divided into two major camps. The suspicions, fears, rivalry and enmity between the two camps was a major step towards World War I.
3. Sarajevo Crisis — The immediate cause of the war was the murder of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, on June 28, 1914 by a Serbian at Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. The assassination was organised by a secret society called 'Black Hand' or 'Union of Death' formed by extremist Serbian nationalists.

(b) The First World War was fought in many different areas called fronts.

1. War on the Western Front — The war began when the German armies swept across Belgium and entered southern France. The French army along with the British army met the German forces in the Battle of Marne (after the river near which the battle was fought) some 15 miles from Paris. The European countries made use of the troops recruited from their colonies in the war.
2. Trench Warfare — The opposing armies dug a series of trenches to defend themselves and to launch attacks. Living conditions in these trenches were pathetic.
3. War on the Eastern Front — The fighting began with the invasion of Russia by Austria-Hungary. Germany and Austria succeeded in repulsing the Russian attack and capturing parts of the Russian empire. They were also successful against Romania, Serbia and Italy. Outside Europe, Japan occupied German possessions in East Asia, and Britain and France seized most of the German colonies in Africa.
4. Policy of Blockade — The war involved total mobilisation of all the resources of the warring parties with all economic activities subordinated to the needs of the war. It also required that no goods including food, raw materials and war materials should be allowed to enter the enemy territory from anywhere.
5. Entry of USA in the War — In 1915, the German U-Boats had sunk a British ship Lusitania. The Americans were generally sympathetic to Britain, and this incident further roused anti-German feelings in the USA. On 6 April, 1917, the United States of America declared war on Germany.
6. Exit of Russia from the War — Another major development that took place in 1917 was the withdrawal of Russia from the War after the October Revolution.

(c) As a result of the War, the economy of many countries was shattered.

1. The global economic depression of 1929-30 is attributed to this War.
2. It gave rise to many serious social problems.
3. According to some estimates the expenditure on the Allied side was nearly forty-one thousand million pounds and that on the German side over fifteen thousand million pounds.